Tim Maddams
LATIN NAME
Common quail: Coturnix coturnix. Japanese quail: Coturnix japonica
SOURCING
littlewindsor.com; norfolkquail.co.uk
Quail are a delight to eat – more nutty and full-flavoured than chicken, with little or no gameyness. But the quail story is a fairly sad one. This is the smallest of the game birds to live on our shores, but you won’t come across wild British quail for sale as they are currently very rare and the hunting of them is banned. Breeding pairs are on the increase and a few migrate here from parts of Europe where they are more abundant, but this is a struggling species in the wild.
Many quail are farmed, however, particularly on the Continent. Generally speaking, these are Japanese quail, a sub species of the wild quail with a greater tolerance to captivity. Most of the birds are farmed for their little eggs but the birds themselves are easy enough to come by. The problem is that imported quail are often from big, low-welfare units.
The ideal alternative – British quail from a small, free-range farm – doesn’t really exist at the moment. Quail do not like the cold or damp and require protection from predators so farming them in a genuinely free-range system is challenging. ‘Free-range’ quail eggs are available, though even these are likely to come from birds raised in aviaries – albeit, large outdoor ones with grass underfoot. Farming quail successfully for meat or eggs on a larger scale usually means keeping them in sheds. Look for the term ‘free to fly’, which indicates that the birds, while kept indoors, do at least have space on the ground and above it to forage and fly.
If you do get hold of a responsibly produced local quail or two, one of the best ways to cook them is to roast them simply. Start them on their backs in a hot pan with a little fat, seasoning and a bay leaf or two. Once well coloured on the back, flip them on to each side for a minute or two and then finally give them a minute or two on the breasts before returning them to their backs and popping into a hot oven for 4–5 minutes. Leave to rest for at least 12 minutes before serving.
These spatchcocked quail are rubbed with an intense paste of freshly ground spices then left overnight to let the flavours penetrate. Grilled until blistered and crisp, they are a sticky, finger-licking treat; you could also barbecue them. Partridges and poussins can be cooked in the same way, increasing the cooking time accordingly. Serves 4
4 quail
2 tsp fenugreek seeds
4 cloves
¼ cinnamon stick
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tsp black peppercorns
Seeds from 6 cardamom pods
6 garlic cloves, grated
1 tsp ground turmeric
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp rapeseed or virgin coconut oil
Sea salt and black pepper
Turn one quail breast side down and, using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut down each side of the backbone and lift the bone away. Turn the quail breast side up and push down on the breast with your hand to open out and flatten the bird. This is ‘spatchcocking’. Repeat with the other quail. The backbones can be frozen and added to your next chicken stock.
Toast the fenugreek, cloves, cinnamon, chilli, peppercorns and cardamom in a small dry frying pan over a medium heat for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Blitz the spices in a spice mill or crush them with a pestle and mortar until quite finely ground. Combine the ground spices with the garlic, turmeric, lemon zest, oil and a good pinch of salt.
Place the spatchcocked birds in a large dish and rub the spice paste all over them. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 12 hours, or overnight.
When ready to cook, preheat the grill to high. Place the quail on a grill tray, breast side up, and grill for 8–10 minutes. Turn on to the other side and grill for a further 5–6 minutes; the juices should run clear. Remove the quail to a warmed platter, turning them breast side up again; brush over any pan juices. Cover and leave to rest in a warm place for 10 minutes. The quail are delicious served with flatbreads, roughly mashed avocado and plain yoghurt.